Artificial Intelligence (AI) stood out as a key flavour of the season at India Mobile Congress 2024, as a diverse spectrum of tech and telecom companies, including startups and educational institutes, showcased over 900 technology use case scenarios, including 750 AI-based use cases during the 4-day forum at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. During his inaugural visit to IMC 2024, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with pioneering startups like Signalchip, Wisig Networks, including women-led startups like Astrome and Easiofy Solutions, showcasing India’s leadership in cutting-edge technology innovations.
The focus of the AI enabled use cases was on conservation, convenience, efficiency, safety, automating hazardous tasks, assisting humans and more. On one end, AI-based virtual agents were taking over the workloads at contact centers and on the other end, addressing shortage of doctors in remote areas.
AI-Based Technology Focussed Innovations
Some key use cases included solutions for railway safety, including AI-based systems which are able to detect and send alerts on unusual activity on tracks. Showcasing its latest AI innovations at the 2024 India Mobile Congress, Bharti Airtel launched India’s first AI-powered spam detection solution to combat spam calls and messages. This network-based tool provides real-time alerts, helping users reduce spam effectively. Ericsson showcased a 5G-powered robotic dog, Rocky, who can assist authorities with efficient emergency response by sending alerts in time that can help authorities deal with emergency situations like fire outbreaks. Nokia showcased technologies spanning 5G, 6G, AI/ML and network infrastructure, aimed at driving innovation and promoting a sustainable future.
Reliance Jio offered attendees an exclusive preview of PhoneCall AI, a highly anticipated feature for transcribing and summarising phone calls, which is currently in alpha testing phase. Vodafone Idea demonstrated the transmission of real-time diagnostic reports over its high-speed network, enabling doctors to conduct video consultations remotely. The solution offers over 30 medical tests, including vitals and blood screenings, at a cost of under ₹250, making healthcare more accessible in rural areas.
Startups Paving the Way for AI-Powered Disruption
Some startups offered humanoid, digital co-workers and AI-powered marketing bots to tackle serious issues like mental health while others offered AI driven de-addiction programs. The startups also brought attention to Human Resources, using AI to hire, automate payrolls, attendance management, training needs of employees and tracking employee performance.
Innovations from Educational Institutes
Commending the participation of Education industry Mr. Ramakrishna P., CEO, IMC said, “IMC 2024 saw participation from a number of education institutes including IITs and other engineering colleges and universities. They got an opportunity to share their ideas, display their innovations and interact with industry leaders, investors and experts from different fields. IMC 2024 provided the ideal setting for enriching ideas incubated in college labs with the right mentorship opportunities.”
IMC 2024 showcased groundbreaking ideas and innovations from prestigious academic institutions like IITs and IIMs. Through LLMs such as BharatGen, IMC highlighted the cutting-edge research and technological advancements emerging from these institutions, demonstrating their role in shaping the future of telecom and technology in India. C3iHub, a Technology Innovation Hub established at IIT Kanpur and funded by Department of Science & Technology (DST), addressed cybersecurity of cyber-physical systems, with key focus on critical infrastructure, automotives, and drones.
Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) showcased over a dozen AI-based solutions for smart agriculture and even aquarium management, with AI enabled feed for fish. The AI system detects the right time for feed and releases feed accordingly while also monitoring water quality and sending alerts to owners. Mahindra University students displayed AI-based solutions to bolster shrimp farming (raising shrimp in controlled environments). The tool constantly monitors and ensures conditions are ideal for shrimp farming.
India Mobile Congress, Asia’s largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem. The India Mobile Congress 2024 hosted over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups and participation from over 120 countries.
